Decorative bow making apparatus with shaped stapling anvil

ABSTRACT

The top surface of the rotating spindle of a bow making machine is cup-shaped in cross-section and serves as an anvil to deflect the legs of a staple which staples together a completed bow regardless of the angular position of the spindle relative to the staple source.

United States Patent Jacobson 1 May 9,1972

[54] DECORATIVE BOW MAKING APPARATUS WITH SHAPED STAPLING ANVIL I [72] Inventor: Eugene Jacobson, Englewood, NJ:

[73] Assignee: Sun Chemical Corporation, New York [521 1.8. Ci. ..223/46, 227/6l [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,982,452 5/196! Anderson ..223/46 3,061,153 WI] 962 Rector ...223/46 2,933,223 4/1960 Kravig et al.. ..223/46 2.531870 12/1950 Bayer .227/155 X 2.734, I90 2/1956 Deutsch et al ..227/l55 Primary Emminer-Jordan Franklin Assistam Etaminer-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney-Cynthia Berlow 5 7} ABSTRACT The top surface of the rotating spindle of a bow making machine is cup-shaped in cross-section and serves as an anvil to deflect the legs of a staple which staples together a [5i] ..A4lh 43/00 com pleted bow regardless of the angular position of the spin- [58] Field of Search ..227/6l, 62, 110, 154, 155, (a have to the staple 80mm 223/46; 72/464, 467, 462

8 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures SHEET 0F 4 ZOmmE DECORATIVE BOW MAKING APPARATUS WITH SHAPED STAPLING ANVIL RELATED APPLICATIONS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Apparatus for high speed manufacture of decorative bows uses a rotating spindle which provides means for impaling and rotating ribbon lengths in order to form the individual loops of a ribbon. After the bow loops are formed, and in order to secure the loops together and, if desired, to further secure a mounting card to the bow, a staple is driven through the intersecting areas of the loops and through the mounting card, if such a card is used. The staple source is a suitable staple gun which provides a conventional staple having parallel legs extending perpendicularly from the ends of the staple body. If desired, 2 inch staples can be made from a wire reel supply, or could be provided in their pre-bent shape. It is necessary to provide an anvil which is on one side of the completed bow and which will deflect the staple legs after they have passed through the bow (and mounting card, if one is provided) so that the staple legs permanently secure the bow loops together. The leg deflection could be inwardly, as is conventional, or outwardly to one another, if desired. The anvil for the stapling operation is, in accordance with the invention, the top surface of the spindle. Moreover, in accordance with the invention, the top of the spindle has an at least partly conical configuration in cross-section so that the legs of the staple will be suitably deflected regardless of the angular position of the spindle, andthus the staple gun anvil, relative to the staple gun which is angularly fixed relative to the spindle axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the bow tying machine with a portion of one side support cut away to show the inner structure of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view in section'taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the spindle indexing apparatus for rotating the loop capturing or retaining pins;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation with structural parts cutaway to show the inner construction of the machine;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the spindle sprocket wheel, spindle and capturing pins showing the retracting action of the capturing pins;

FIGS. 4A to 4F illustrate the novel staple anvil of the invention and its use;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the machine;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through the spindle looking downwardly on the spindle sprocket wheel to show the pawl and ratchet connecting said spindle to said wheel; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIGS. 1,3 and 7, there is shown a base 10 on which is mounted an upright support member 11 on which is mounted a pair of ribbon guides 12'leading from a ribbon supply (not shown) to the loop forming device to I be hereinafter described. Also mounted on the upright member 11 is an air cylinder 13 which provides motivation through piston rod 14 to the loop forming device and loop indexing device which are described later.

An upright side support 15 is mounted on each side of the base 10 anda straight cam track 16 and a tapered switching cam track 17 are pivotally mounted on the inner face of each of said side supports. The free end of the switching cam track 17 engages the surface of the straight cam track 16 to provide an inclined surface to a wheel 24 riding the straight cam track 16in the direction of the dotted arrow shown in FIG. I. As the wheel 24 passes over the pivot point of the switching cam track 17 it drops to the straight cam track 16 and returns in the opposite direction, rolling on the straight cam track 16, it lifts the free end of the switching cam track 17, pivoting the latter, and passes under said free end after which said free end drops by gravity back to its resting position on the top surface of straight cam track 16.

An L-shaped bracket 20 is fixed to the piston rod 14 and pivotally mounts pivot arms 21 on its upper extremity. A carrier plate 22 of rectangular shape is fixed to the pivot arms 21 and is disposed between the side supports 15 leaving adequate clearance between said carrier plate and the switching cam tracks 17 mounted on said side supports. On the under side of the carrier plate 22 there is mounted a transverse support bar '23 at each end of which is rotatably mounted a cam wheel 24 which is adapted to roll on the upper surfaces of the cam tracks 16 and 17. On the side edges of the free end of the carrier plate 22 are mounted a pair of ribbon guides 25 which extend beyond the free end of said carrier plate.

Also a transverse angle bar 26 is centrally fixed to the piston rod 14. The angle bar 26 is of about the same width as the carrier plate 22 and freely clears the cam tracks 16 and 17. On the angle bar 26 is mounted an upright bracket 27 as shown. The upright bracket 27 extends between the ribbon paths (as the ribbon passes from the guides 12 onto carrier plate 22 and through ribbon guides 25) but does not obstruct the passage of the ribbon. A gripper shoe 28 is pivotally mounted at each end of the upright bracket 27 and is adapted to engage the ribbon and grip it against the upper surface of the angle bar 26 as said angle bar is moved away from the cylinder 13 and to release the ribbon as the angle bar is moved towards said cylinder. The gripper control rod 29 is pivotally connected to each gripper shoe 28 and extends back to the upright member 11 passing through a hole provided therefor in said upright member. Forward and backward movement of the control rod 29 is biased by a tension ball pushed against said rod by a spring both mounted in the upright member 11 and operating on that portion of said control rod in the above-mentioned hole. Thus, as the gripper shoe 28 is moving away from the ribbon supply, the control rod pulls said gripper shoe .to bind the ribbon between the shoe and the upper surface of angle bar 26, and when the gripper shoe moves in a reverse direction,

the control rod pushes said gripper shoe away from the ribbon and angle bar to free said ribbon. Also mounted on the upright bracket is a stop screw 30 which is adapted to engage and limit the movement of the gripper shoe 28 when the control rod 29 pushes against it.

A flat compression spring 31 is mounted at the center of the upright bracket 27 and extends to the free end of the carrier plate 22 where it is fastened. The spring 31 biases the free end of the carrier plate 22 in a downward direction so that the cam wheels 24 promptly and closely follow the upper surfaces of cam tracks 16 and 17 during forward and backward movement of said carrier plate.

In operation, the loop forming assembly as described above is actuated in a reciprocal manner by the air cylinder 13 and piston rod 14. Prior to commencement of operation, ribbon is manually fed from the ribbon guides 12 between the gripper shoes 28 and the upper surface of angle bar 26, through ribbon guides 25 and impaled on capturing pins 35 of the loop retaining assembly to be hereinafter described.

As the piston rod 14 moves out of and away from the air cylinder, it causes the gripper shoes 28 to bind ribbons passing under them to the angle bar 26 in the manner previously described. The lengths of ribbon resting on the carrier plate 22 are thus held there while the plate is moving forward. The cam wheels 24 ride on the upper surfaces of straight cam tracks 16 and when they reach the switching cam tracks 17 they roll upwardly on their upper surfaces forcing the free end of carrier plate 22 to swing upwardly and cause the ribbon lengths extending forward from said free end to arch over the impaling pins 35 of the loop retaining assemblies. As the wheels 24 reach the uppermost points of the switching cam tracks 17, the free end of the carrier plate 22 is almost directly above the impaling pins 35, and as the wheels 24 pass over said uppermost points and drop to the straight cam tracks 16, said free end drops toward and past the upper ends of said impaling pins to impale the ribbon positioned at said free end and complete the formation ofthe ribbon loops.

As the gripper shoes 28 and angle bar 26 are moved forward, new ribbon lengths are withdrawn from the ribbon supply. When the piston rod 14 returns toward the air cylinder 13, the gripper control rods 29 push against the gripper shoes 28 to release the ribbons bound thereby to the angle bar 26 surface permitting said shoes and angle bar to slip by the new lengths of ribbon withdrawn from supply by the above-mentioned forward motion. When the piston rod 14 and its attachments reach its return limit, the newly withdrawn ribbon lengths replace the ones previously resting on the carrier plate 22. The lengths previously on said carrier plate are disposed in front of said carrier plate between it and the impaling pins 35 ready to be formed into loops upon the next forward movement of the piston rod 14 and its attachments.

The loop retaining assembly is mounted in a support frame 18 attached to the front end of base and comprises a pair of spindles 36A and 368 each rotatably mounted on said supporting frame as shown in a position substantially directly under the free end of the carrier plate 22 when it passes over the uppermost points of switching cam tracks 17. Pin shafts 37A and 37B pass through and are keyed to each spindle 36A and 368 as best shown in FIG. 4 by means of a key pin K cooperating with a guide slot S provided in the shank of said spindle. Each spindle 36A and 36B has a center bore which is flared at its upper end.

Thus, in FIG. 4, the center bore has a flared or conical surface 100 which, in accordance with the present invention, defines the anvil surface for deflecting or closing the staple legs which is fired through the completed bow loops, as will be later described. Note that since the anvil surface 100 is conical, it can turn the staple as desired, regardless of the angular position ofspindle 36A or 37A.

Each pin shaft 37A and 37B is constructed with a pair ofimpaling pins on its upper end, freely passes through holes in the bottom of the supporting frame 17 and is attached at its lower end to a retracting pin spindle bar 38 for up and down motion therewith in a manner which permits rotation of said pin spindle relative to said bar. The pin spindle bar 38 is bolted at its ends to push rods 39 which pass freely upward through the bottom of supporting frame 18 and are adapted to sliding movement relative to said supporting frame. A lock collar 40 is secured to each push rod 39 near the bottom of supporting frame 18 by a set screw 41 and a coil spring 42 is disposed around said rod between said supporting frame bottom and said collar to hold said rod in place. Stop collars 43 are disposed around push rods 39 underneath the supporting frame bottom between said bottom and the spindle bar 38 to limit upward movement of said bar and the pin shafts 37A and 37B attached thereto.

The pin shafts 37A and 37B are operatively connected for substantially synchronous, rotational movement by means of pulley wheels 44 keyed thereto and a belt 45 engaging both of said wheels.

It is thus seen that the pairs ofimpaling pins 35 are adapted to rotational movement for receiving and retaining succeeding ribbon loops in different radial positions thereby forming a bow design of the star, pompon or flower type. Indexing means or rotating apparatus for providing such rotational movement is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a sprocket wheel mounted near the base of spindle 36A. The sprocket wheel 50 and spindle 36A are in ratchet engagement (by means of a pawl 71 pivotallymounted on the sprocket wheel 50 cooperating with a ratchet gear 72 mounted on the spindle 36A, as best shown in FIG. 6) permitting clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of said wheel but only permitting counterclockwise movement of said spindle as viewed from above. The sprocket wheel 50 is rotated by a sprocket chain 51, one end of which is fastened to an adjustable anchor 52 mounted on the opposite side of base 10 and the other end of which is connected by a tension spring 53 to an anchor post 54 mounted on the same side of base 10. An idler wheel 55 is so positioned on base 10 as to dispose the chain 51 across the path of travel of piston rod 14. An idler wheel 56 is mounted on base 10 to direct the chain 51 around side support 15 and insure proper engagement of said chain with the sprocket wheel 50.

The lower extremity of L-shaped bracket 20 rotatably mounts a drive roller 57 which engages the chain 51 on forward movement of the piston rod 14. As the piston rod 14 moves forward, the chain 51 is pulled around idler wheel 55 against the tension of spring 53 and in turn rotates the sprocket wheel 50 in a counterclockwise direction which, through ratchet engagement, rotates the spindle 36A. When the piston rod 14 returns the chain 51 is pulled by spring 53 to turn sprocket wheel 50 in a clockwise direction, the ratchet release direction permitting the spindle 36A to remain stationary.

The adjustable anchor 52 is adapted to movement parallel to the path of travel of the piston rod 14 by means of bias screw 58 and slot 59. When the anchor 52 is in its forwardmost position, the chain 51 is tensioned the least amount by the drive roller 57 and the sprocket wheel 50 and spindle 36A are turned the least amount. When the anchor 52 is in its rearwardmost position, the chain 51 is tensioned the greatest amount by the drive roller 57 and the sprocket wheel 50 and spindle 36A are turned the greatest amount. This adjustment permits the formation of loops in various designs with each loop superimposed on the next preceding loop at different radial positions. The number of degrees offset of each succeeding loop can be selected by adjusting the position of the anchor 52.

The fastening assembly is mounted on and operates within the supporting frame 18. It comprises a pair of compressed air-operated stapling guns 60 each mounted above a spindle 36A or 368 on a cross-beam 61 which is bolted at its center portion to a piston rod 62 of an air cylinder 63 mounted on top of frame 18. The stapling guns 60 are so positioned that in their down position, the muzzle of each contacts the flared bore of a spindle which acts as a staple closer. Note that this action is obtained regardless of the angular position of the spindles.

The cross-beam 61 is slidable, up-and-down, on four vertical guide rods 64, one mounted and secured in each corner of the frame 18. The lower ends of each pair of vertical guide rods 64 on each side of the frame 18 are secured to and connected together by a flat side brace 65 which has a hole 66 in its central portion to allow free, slidable passage therethrough of the upper portion of push rods 39 on its side of the frame 18. The side braces 65, thus, also serve as guides for the movement ofpush rods 39.

In operation, after the desired bow design has been formed, the piston rod 62 is actuated by air cylinder 63 to push the stapling guns 60 toward their respective spindles. Just prior to the contact of the gun muzzles with the impaling pins 35 projecting upwards from the spindles 36A and 368, the crossbeam 61 engages the push rods 39 forcing them down against the tension of springs 42, causing the spindle bar 38 and pin spindles 37A and 37B to move downwardly, thus withdrawing the impaling pins 35 well within the bores of said spindles 36A and 363. The muzzles of the stapling guns 60 follow the impaling pins to contact and retain the ribbon loop nodes together and fire staples therethrough when said muzzles are sufficiently close to the spindles 36A and 368 that the flared bore ends 100 of said spindles will force the closure of said staples. After stapling, the piston rod 62 is withdrawn upwardly by the air cylinder 63 to pull the stapling guns 60 back up into their resting position and releases the push rods 39 for upward motion by the force of springs 42. Such upward motion moves the impaling pins 35 back into retaining position and is limited to the proper extent by stop collars 43. The impaling pins 35 in moving back to retaining position pop out the bow thus formed and fastened and are ready to receive the next ribbon length for the formation of the next bow.

The severing or cutting assembly is adapted to operate with the downward movement of the stapling guns 60 and includes a stationary knife edge 67 mounted on the lower rear portion of frame 18 across and under the ribbon path. A movable knife edge 68 is pivotally mounted on each end of the stationary knife edge 67, extends obliquely, upwardly and is pivotally connected to a knife action arm 69 which in turn is pivotally connected to cross-beam 61. As cross-beam 61 is lowered by the downward action of the piston rod 62, the arms 69 pivot the movable knife edges 68 towards and into scissors-like contact with the stationary knife edges 67 to cut the ribbons stretched across them.

Although not shown, the bow tying machine described above includes switching and timing devices for controlling the length of each loop formed, the number of loops formed before fastening and the rate of loop formation. The length of loops formed is controlled by an adjustment on the air cylinder 13 for regulating the length of stroke ofthe piston rod 14 and the rate of loop formation is controlled by a speed adjustment on the air cylinder 13 to regulate .the speed of the piston rod 14 in each direction. The number of loops formed prior to fastening can be controlled by a timing mechanism adapted to activate the stapling assembly air cylinder 63 and stapling assembly piston rod 62 while at the same time inactivating the forming air cylinder 13 and forming piston rod 14 in its rearwardmost position. The number of loops formed can also be controlled by a counter mechanism counting the number of strokes of the forming piston rod 14 and opening and closing valves to activate the stapling air cylinder 63 and piston rod 62 and to deactivate the forming air cylinder 13 and piston rod 14. The stapling guns 60 can be air fired in response to a spring loaded valve responsive to the pressure of the pin spindle retracting bar 38 in its extreme downward position.

These control and timing devices are well within the knowledge of skilled workers in the art and for this reason have not been shown or described in detail.

Other accessories can be attached to the machine including attachments for feeding tie strings or ribbons or stickon cards to the impaling spindles. Delivery apparatus for conveying the finished bows from the machine are also adaptable to usewith said machine.

FIG. 4A is a top view of FIG. 4 and shows the conical surface 100 which deflects staple legs inwardly. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4E, a staple 101 having legs 102 and 103 secures a bow together by having legs 102 and 103 penetrate the overlapping ribbon loops 104 and then having the legs inwardly folded by forcing the legs into conical surface 100. Note that a stick-on card 105 can also be stapled to the bow, where card 105 has a lower pressure-sensitive adhesive surface normally covered by a peel-offlayer.

By a conical" surface or outwardly flared surface for surface 100 is meant a surface which is generally annular and which forms an angle greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees relative to the axis of spindle 36A. Typically, the surface can form an angle of about 45 relative to the spindle axis. However, a conical surface is also the one shown in FIG. 4B as surface 100 which is generally concave.

As a further feature of the present invention, the conical staple leg-deflecting surface of the spindle 36A can be fluted with ridges, as shown in FIG. 4C by fluted surface 106. These flutes will act to spread the inwardly turned portions of staple legs 102 and 103 laterally away from one another by causing these legs to rotate about their respective longitudinal axis as they are inwardly bent. The spreading of the staple in this manner can improve the securing of the completed bow loops to one another.

FIG. 4D shows another version of the conical surface for spindle 36A where surface 107 slopes downward and outward relative to the end of the spindle. This specific shape will cause outward deflection of the staple legs 102 and 103, as shown in FIG. 4F.

Although this invention has been described'with respect to its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and, therefore, the scope of this invention is limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In apparatus for the production or decorative bows which comprises:

ribbon supply means for supplying a length of ribbon sufficiently long to be formed into at least one how;

rotatable spindle means comprising an elongated member having an end surface and being rotatable around its axis;

a stationary support structure for rotatably supporting said rotatable spindle means;

means connected to said rotatable spindle means for rotating said rotatable spindle means to form bow loops, and means associated with said rotatable spindle means for holding formed bow loops together and against said end surface of said rotatable spindle means in the form of a bow;

staple gun means for issuing wire staples therefrom which have firstand second legs extending from a main wire body; said staple gun means being supported relative to said stationary support structure; said main wire body of said wire staples having a fixed angular position relative to said stationary support structure which rotatably supports said rotatable spindle means;

means for engaging said staple gun means and said end surface with said bow loops interposed between said staple gun means and said end surface and for driving said first and second legs of said wire staples through said formed bow loops in order to secure together said bow loops and thus said bow;

said end surface comprising an anvil for said staple gun means for folding said first and second legs of said wire staples after they have penetrated said bow loops;

the improvement which comprises said end surface having an annular and conical surface for engaging said first and second wire staple legs, whereby said wire staple legs are forced to deflect by sliding across said annular and conical surface regardless of the angular position of said rotatable spindle means relative to said staple gun means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conical surface tapers inwardly from said end surface, thereby to define an outwardly flared opening at the end of said spindle means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 which includes a stick-on card disposed adjacent one surface of said bow loop, and receiving said first and second wire staple legs.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conical surface is fluted, thereby to cause the ends of said first and second legs of said wire staple to move laterally away from one another as said legs are collapsed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annular, conical surface tapers outwardly from said end surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes a ribbon piercing needle disposed coaxially within said rotatable spindle means and being axially movable with respect thereto.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes a stick-on card disposed adjacent one surface of said how loop, and receiving said first and second wire staple legs.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conical surface has an axis of symmetry which is coaxial with the axis of rotation of said rotatable spindle means. 

1. In apparatus for the production or decorative bows which comprises: ribbon supply means for supplying a length of ribbon sufficiently long to be formed into at least one bow; rotatable spindle means comprising an elongated member having an end surface and being rotatable around its axis; a stationary support structure for rotatably supporting said rotatable spindle means; means connected to said rotatable spindle means for rotating said rotatable spindle means to form bow loops, and means associated with said rotatable spindle means for holding formed bow loops together and against said end surface of said rotatable spindle means in the form of a bow; staple gun means for issuing wire staples therefrom which have first and second legs extending from a main wire body; said staple gun means being supported relative to said stationary support structure; said main wire body of said wire staples having a fixed angular position relative to said stationary support structure which rotatably supports said rotatable spindle means; means for engaging said staple gun means and said end surface with said bow loops interposed between said staple gun means and said end surface and for driving said first and second legs of said wire staples through said formed bow loops in order to secure together said bow loops and thus said bow; said end surface comprising an anvil for said staple gun means for folding said first and second legs of said wire staples after they have penetrated said bow loops; the improvement which comprises said end surface having an annular and conical surface for engaging said first and second wire staple legs, whereby said wire staple legs are foRced to deflect by sliding across said annular and conical surface regardless of the angular position of said rotatable spindle means relative to said staple gun means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conical surface tapers inwardly from said end surface, thereby to define an outwardly flared opening at the end of said spindle means.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 which includes a stick-on card disposed adjacent one surface of said bow loop, and receiving said first and second wire staple legs.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conical surface is fluted, thereby to cause the ends of said first and second legs of said wire staple to move laterally away from one another as said legs are collapsed.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annular, conical surface tapers outwardly from said end surface.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes a ribbon piercing needle disposed coaxially within said rotatable spindle means and being axially movable with respect thereto.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 which includes a stick-on card disposed adjacent one surface of said bow loop, and receiving said first and second wire staple legs.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conical surface has an axis of symmetry which is coaxial with the axis of rotation of said rotatable spindle means. 